


A Double Standard

by Lanerose



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn, 赤髪の白雪姫 | Akagami no Shirayukihime
Genre: Crossover, F/M, M/M, Multi, No Manga Spoilers, Other, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-16 10:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13052385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lanerose/pseuds/Lanerose
Summary: Jae-ha spots familiar red hair on what turns out to be an unfamiliar young lady.





	A Double Standard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sterlynsilverrose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sterlynsilverrose/gifts).



Jae-ha was walking through the market district of Kuuto when he caught a glimpse of strikingly bright hair from the corner of his eye. He turned unthinkingly, walking straight towards that brilliant flame. The girl to whom it belonged was staring at a collection of rare medicinal plants recently imported from the Kai Empire. It seemed shorter and smoother than he recalled. 

“Yona,” he said quietly, reaching out to grab her elbow, “what is Hak doing letting you wander alone – “

He stopped suddenly.

“I suggest you let the lady go,” said the owner of the knife blade currently pointed at Jae-ha’s throat.

“Heh,” replied Jae-ha, raising his hands, “I don’t mean any harm. I know this lady, you see.”

“Oh?” Jae-ha chanced a glance off to his right, where an elegant young man with silver hair stood frowning at him. “I don’t know, Obi. What do you think?”

“I’m not sure how he could know Shirayuki,” said the blade’s owner, who must be called Obi, “seeing as how we only arrived in town this morning.”

“Shirayuki?” Jae-ha said, blinking. He frowned, and looked down at the red-headed young woman before him. “Ah! You’re not Yona!”

“I’m sorry, I’m not,” replied Shirayuki, who accepted her change from the merchant and turned to face him properly. “Obi, Zen, what are you doing? Let him go.”

Obi leaned forward and must have been looking at the newly-identified Zen, because as soon as Zen nodded the knife disappeared from his throat. Jae-ha rubbed at his neck, pleased to note that there was barely a scratch that he’d have to worry about later.

“No hard feelings, okay?” said Obi. “What were the odds that you’d know someone else with red hair, anyway? It’s not exactly common…”

Jae-ha laughed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Miss, are you sure you don’t have a twin with blue eyes? Or maybe a sister? You really do like very much like my friend.”

The young lady shook her head.

“I don’t think so,” she said, “and if I did, she would probably live in Tanbarun.”

Jae-ha whistled.

“Tanbarun?” he said. “My, you’re a long way from home.”

“We’re from Clarines, actually,” said Zen. He moved subtly closer to Shirayuki, reaching out to take her purchases from her and tuck them into a larger bag that he was carrying. “We met after my fiancée moved there several years ago.”

“And you, Green Dragon?” said Obi, who had wandered from behind Jae-ha to stand with his travel companions, taking Shirayuki’s other side so that he and Zen had the girl flanked between them. “Where do you call home?”

Jae-ha’s eyes widened. He glanced down immediately, but his clothes and boots were still hiding the leg of the dragon as they always did. There was a flicker of satisfaction on Obi’s face when he looked up again, and Jae-ha cursed mentally.

“Aren’t you observant, Obi?” Jae-ha smiled, the expression razor-thin on his face.

“Please forgive my – friend – for his impertinence, Green Dragon,” Zen replied, stepping forward and bowing slightly. “It would seem that our meeting has come sooner than expected, but I am pleased to meet you nevertheless.”

Jae-ha wondered what word he’d meant to say in place of friend, and what word Yona would have used for him in a similar moment. It was hard to say. Yona avoided labels remarkably well these days.

“Meeting?” he said, tilting his head. “I don’t recall – “

“Oi, Droopy Eyes,” shouted an undeniably (and sometimes unfortunately) familiar voice, “what are you doing? We were supposed to meet up at the sundial a while ago. Did you – “

Hak stopped abruptly as he stepped close enough to see over Jae-ha’s shoulder to the small, red-haired woman standing in front of Jae-ha. A figure with a brown hood up darted forward as well to grab Jae-ha’s arm and peer around it.

“Saw someone interesting,” Jae-ha drawled slowly. “Were we expecting company from Clarines?”

Yona gasped. “Clarines? That’s such a long way!”

“Yes,” Obi said. There was a pause of the sort that would almost certainly have been filled with a title before he continued, “We were sent as a delegation to congratulate Queen Yona on her ascension to the throne.”

“We?” Yona asked, glancing at Zen and Shirayuki curiously. 

“Yes,” replied Shirayuki, taking Zen’s left arm and Obi’s right arm. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And,” Zen added, “it will be a pleasure to meet her highness Queen Yona for the first time when we finally make our way up to the castle. We were distracted by the herbs from Kai, some of which were unfamiliar to Shirayuki.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Yona, glancing at their bag. She stepped out from behind Jae-ha for a closer look. “It’s the Senjuso herb! How nostalgic, to see it again after all these years!”

“You’re familiar with this herb?” Shirayuki stepped forward, letting go of Zen and Obi. “What did you call it – senjuso? What does it do? The merchant said something about a cure?”

“Yes, I once picked some.” Yona replied. “It only grows in those little holes that develop in steep cliffs. I picked mine at the Mist-Shrouded Cape, a few days’ journey away from here. It can be used to cure or at least speed up the healing of most wounds. Our friend Yun can – “

“He-hem,” coughed Hak, leaning back, his arms crossed and a very tiny smile creeping across his face.

“Ah!” said Yona. “My apologies. I got over-enthusiastic.”

“No, no,” said Shirayuki, “please tell me more! I would love to take a trip there as we’re on our way back to Clarines – “

“My lady!” exclaimed Obi, stance widening in alarm. Zen, too, looked disturbed.

“Perhaps we can save the discussion for another time?” Jae-had interjected smoothly, wrapping an arm around Yona’s shoulders. “Hak and I are supposed to be assisting Queen Yona in greeting a delegation…”

“Of course,” Zen replied, Shirayuki and Obi nodding in agreement.

“See you soon!” called Yona as Jae-ha steered her around, Hak forming up behind him. “We can be ready in an hour or so!”

The last thing Jae-ha heard as they walked away was Zen, saying sharply, “We are, under no circumstances, going to a place called the Mist-Shrouded Cape so that you can scale a cliff to gather herbs.”

Jae-ha laughed. It would be good to get back to the castle quickly. They had some new friends to meet again.

**Author's Note:**

> If there’s nothing saying Clarines and Kouka can’t all be in one world, why not, right? Just, like, really far away from each other. Like, France and Korea far away from each other. Right? Right.
> 
> In any event, happy yuletide and best wishes for a great 2018 to you and yours!


End file.
